Mechanical rake for use with stone picking devices



17, 1954 J. c. KALAUS ETAL 2,686,394

MECHANICAL RAKE FOR USE WITH STONE PICKING DEVICES 3 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed June 19, 1952 John 6. Kalaus John Kalaus INVENTORS BY WW FM Aug.17, 1954 .1. c. KALAUS ETAL 2,636,394

MECHANICAL RAKE FOR USE WITH STONE PICKING DEVICES 3 Sheets-Sheet 2Filed June 19, 1952 John 6. Ka /ans John Kalaus INVENTORS Aug. 17, 1954J. c. KALAUS EIAL 2,686,394

MECHANICAL RAKE FOR USE WITH STONE PICK ING DEVICES Filed June 19, 19523 Sheets-Sheet 3 Illllllllllllll Jolm 0. Kalaus Jo/m Kalaus IN VEN TORS'I'TIIIZIZZZZZ Patented Aug. 17, 1954 MECHANICAL RAKE FOR USE WITH S'I'ONE PICKING DEVICES John O. Kalaus and John Kalaus, Grey-Eagle, Minn.,assignors of one-third to Mary C. Kalaus, Grey-Eagle, Minn.

Application June 19, 1952, Serial No. 294,462

3 Claims. 1

This invention relates in general to farm implements, and moreparticularly to a device for removing stones from fields.

The primary object of this invention is to provide an improved stonepicker which may be conveniently drawn behind a tractor and engage thetop soil of a field for effectively removing stones therefrom.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved stone pickerwhich is intended to be drawn by a tractor and having stone removalmeans driven by wheels thereof, said stone removal means including aconveyor and a stone rake for urging the stones onto said conveyor.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved drive meansfor stone pickers, said drive means including a first gear mounted on awheel of the stone picker, a second gear mounted on a conveyor driveshaft, said second gear being in engagement with said first gear andconnected to the drive shaft by clutch means.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved stone pickerwhich includes a novel rake structure for urging stones dug out of theground onto an associated conveyor, said rake being reciprocated alongthe longitudinal axis of the stone picker and being engaged with guidemeans which raises the same out of engagement with the ground during theforward stroke thereof.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved hitch meansfor attaching a stone picker to a tractor, said hitch means including adrawbar which is vertically adjustable whereby the relationship of theforward end of the stone picker with respect to the ground may be variedas desired.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved stonepicker having the stone receptacle on the rear end thereof, said stonereceptacle being provided with means for emptying the same, said meansbeing controllable from an operator of the tractor drawing the stonepicker whereby the stones picked up may be dumped in a pile as desired.

With these objects definitely in view, this invention resides in certainnovel features of construction, combination and arrangement of elementsand portions as will be hereinafter described in detail in thespecification, particularly pointed out in the appended claims, andillustrated in the accompanying drawings which form a material part ofthis application and in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the stone picker,

2 which is the subject of this invention, and shows the generalconstruction thereof;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the stone picker of Figure 1 andshows the manner in which it may be adjustably supported by a tractor,only a rear portion of the tractor being shown, said tractor beingprovided with a vertically adjustable drawbar;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse vertical sectional viewtaken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 33 ofFigure 1 and shows the manner in which a drive shaft of the stone pickermay be selectively driven by one wheel of the stone picker;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of the rearportion of the stone picker and shows the manner in which a stonereceptacle may be emptied, the stone receptacle being shown in anemptying position by dotted lines, the frame and other portion of theupper part of the stone picker being omitted for purposes of clarity;

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal vertical sectional viewtaken adjacent a side rail of the stone picker and shows theconstruction of a guide engageable with a supporting roller of the rakefor automatically raising the rake during a forward stroke thereof,alternate positions of the roller being shown by dotted lines;

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse vertical sectional viewthrough the rear portion of a shaft for controlling clutch means forselectively engaging the drive means of the stone picker;

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse vertical sectional viewtaken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 1-1 ofFigure l and shows the general construction of a portion of one of theconveyors;

Figure 8 is an enlarged transverse horizontal sectional view takensubstantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 88 of Figure2 and shows the general outline of the vertically adjustable drawbar ofthe tractor;

Figure 9 is an enlarged transverse vertical sectional view taken throughone of the outer guides for the rakes of the stone picker and shows thegeneral construction thereof;

Figure 10 is a fragmentary transverse vertical sectional view similar toFigure 9 and taken through a central frame member of the stone pickerand showing the general arrangement of a central guide for the rake;

Figure 11 is an enlarged front elevational view of one of the rake tinesand shows the general construction thereof; and

Figure 12 is a side elevational view of the rake tine of Figure 11.

Similar characters of reference designate similar or identical elementsand portions throughout the specification and throughout the differentviews of the drawings.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that the stonepicker, which is the subject of this invention, includes a frame, whichis referred to in general by the reference numeral I8. The frame Iincludes a first outer frame section I2, a central frame section It, anda second outer frame section I6. Each of the frame sections istriangular in elevation and is formed of channel members. Each framesection includes a bottom horizontal frame member I8 which is connectedat its forward end to an upwardly and rear-wardly extending upper framemember 26, the forward end of the frame member 28 extending downwardlyand forwardly of the forward end of the horizontal frame member I8. Theupper rear end of the frame member 20 is connected to the horizontalframe member It by a vertical frame member 22. The vertical frame member22 has its lower end connected to the horizontal frame member I8 at apoint forward of the end thereof. It will be understood that the rearends of the frame sections I2, I4 and I6 are connected together and thatthe rear end of the frame section I4 differs from the rear ends of theframe sections I2 and I6 in that the horizontal frame member I8 of thecentral frame section I4 terminates at its connection with itsassociated vertical frame member 22. The forward ends of the framesections I2 and I6 are connected together by an inverted generallyU-shaped tongue 24 which extends forwardly and upwardly from the framesections I2 and I6. The central frame section I4 is provided with anupwardly and forwardly directed tongue member 25 which is connected tothe tongue 24 and has a portion thereof extending forwardly thereof, theforwardly extending portion of the tongue member 26 being provided withan aperture 28 for receiving a pin for connecting the same to the towbar.

As is best illustrated in Figure 1, the stone picker is divided into twohalves with each half including a conveyor, which is referred to ingeneral by the reference numeral 3E) and a rake which is referred to ingeneral by the reference numeral 32. Inasmuch as both halves of thestone picker are identical with the exception that there are left andright halves, only the right half of the stone picker will be describedin detail.

The upper ends of the frame members 22 of the frame sections I4 and I6are provided with bearings of a conventional type in which a drive shaft36 is mounted for rotation. The drive shaft 38 has an outer end portionwhich extends outwardly of the frame section It and has mounted on areduced outer end portion thereof a driven gear 38. As is bestillustrated in Figure 3, the driven gear 38 is in vertical alignmentwith a driving gear 50 and is in engagement with the same. The drivinggear 4 8 is secured to a hub 52 of a wheel 44, the wheel 44 providingsupporting means for the rear of the stone picker and being mounted onan axle 45 carried by the frame It.

Carried by the upper frame members of the central frame section I i andthe other frame section- I6 are a pair of bearings in which is mountedfor rotation an idler shaft 18. Both the drive shaft 38 and the idlershaft 43 are provided with sprockets 56 adjacent their associated framemembers the sprockets 59 having entrained thereover continuous chains52. Extending between and secured to alternate links of the chains 52are bars forming the main portion of the conveyor 38. The bars include afirst type in the form of an upwardly opened angle bar 54 and a flat bar56. It will be noted as is best illustrated in Figure 7, that the bars54 and 56 are alternated and in spaced parallel relation whereby smallerstones may drop between the bars and larger stones up to the size of thespacing between adjacent angle bars 5 2 may be handled by the conveyor38.

Extending between and secured to the forward ends of the frame members20 of the frame sections I4 and I6 is a horizontal plate 58 which isprovided with a plurality of forwardly extending ground engaging teeth68. Certain of the ground engaging teeth 68 have secured theretodownwardly and rearwardly extending runners 2 which pass through theground below the surface thereof and aid in the support of the front endof the stone picker. It will be noted that the plate 58 and its spikes68 are also disposed below the level of the ground 65 so as to dig outstones therein. As the stones are dug out of the ground they are movedrearwardly into engagement with the front end of the conveyor 38 andpiled upon the plate 58. In order that the stones piled on the plate 58may be moved onto the associated conveyor 38, the fork 32 has beenprovided.

As is best illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the fork 32 includes agenerally U-shaped front portion 66 to which is connected a plurality ofdownwardly and rearwardly extending tines 68. The U-shaped portion E6has connected thereto a rearwardly extending drag link 18 which isconnected to an outer side thereof. The U-shaped front portion 66 isbraced with respect to the drag link I0 by a plurality of diagonalbraces I2 and a plurality of longitudinally extending braces M. The draglink I8 includes an offset rear portion I8 which is connected by a pinto a crank arm 82. As is best illustrated in Figure 3, the crank arm 82is mounted on the outer end of the drive shaft 36 and connected theretoby a pin 85 for rotation therewith. It will be understood that as thedrive shaft 36 rotates in response to rotation of its associated wheel44, the crank arm 82 also rotates and imparts a reciproeating motion totherake 32.

Referring now to Figure 5 in particular, it will be seen that the draglink 10 is provided with a roller 86 which is in engagement with a camtrackway, the cam trackway being referred to in general by the referencenumeral 88 and it is supported by an adjacent upper frame member 28. Thecam trackway 88 includes a lower track section 90 which has a raisedcentral portion 92 and a lower front end 94. Engagement of the roller 86with these two portions of the trackway 9!) permits the tines 58 mountedat the forward end of the rake 32 to engage the ground 64 at the forwardend of its stroke and to move upwardly and rearwardly over the forwardend of the conveyor 35} adjacent the beginning of its rearward stroke.The cam trackway 88 also includes an upper track 96 which overlies thelower track 98 and is engaged by the roller 85 on its forward stroke toraise the lower ends of the tines 68 out of engagement with the forwardend of the ward end of the track 96 whereby the tines 68 are droppeddown to a position adjacent the forward end of the plate 58.

In order that the roller 86 may pass the track 66 during the rearwardstroke of the same, the upper track 96 is provided with a lower section98 which is hingedly engaged with the upper portion thereof by hingeI00. As the roller 86 moves rearwardly, the same strikes the lowersection 98 and moves it to the position illustrated in dotted lines.After the roller 86 has moved past the section 98 of the upper track 96,the section returns to its normal position and is ready to engage theroller during its forward stroke.

It will be noted that the rear end of the lower track 90 is supportedfrom the frame member 20 by an angle bracket I02 secured thereto. Theupper track 96 is supported at its forward end and the lower track 90 issupported adjacent the forward end thereof by a single bracket I04 whichis carried by the frame member 20 forward of the bracket I02. As is bestillustrated in Figure 9, the bracket I04 is angulated and has a generalZ-shaped lower section and a channel shaped upper section with thetracks 90 and 96 being supported on what might be called channel shapedupper portion.

Referring now to Figure 2 in particular, it will be seen that in orderto limit movement of the drag link in a vertical plane, the frame member20 of the frame section It is provided with a pair of outwardlyextending transversely spaced parallel bars I06, one of the bars beingdisposed on each side of the drag link 10. It will be noted that thebars I06 are connected to the frame member 20 rearwardly of but adjacentto the bracket I02.

Referring now to Figure 1 in particular, it will be seen that the rearend of the inner leg portion of the U-shaped portion 66 of the rake 32is provided with a second roller I06 which is in engagement with a camtrackway, which is referred to in general by the reference numeral I0.It will be understood that the cam trackway I I6 is similar to the camtrackway 88 and is supported by the upper frame member 20 of the centralframe section 54. It will be noted that the cam trackway I I 0 ispositioned further forward than is the cam trackway 88 due to theshortness of the leg of the U-shaped front portion 66 to which theroller I08 is attached.

Referring to Figure 10 in particular, it will be seen that the trackwayI I 0 includes a lower track I I2 and an upper track II4 which aresecured to the frame member 20 by an angulated bracket H6. It will benoted that a similar cam trackway is mounted on the other side of theframe member 20 and is utilized in combination with the rake 32 at theleft side of the stone picker.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2 in particular, it will be seen thatsecured to the tongue member 26 adjacent its intersection with theU-shaped tongue 24 and extending upwardly therefrom isa standard IIB.Carried by the upper end of the standard I I6 is a journal I20 in whichis supported a forward end of a rotatable control shaft I22. Rigidlysecured on the forward end of the control shaft I22 is a handle I24 forrotating the same. The rear end of the control shaft I22 is mounted in ajournal I26 carried by an upwardly extend ing plate I28 which extendstransversely of the frame I0.

Referring now to Figure 6 in particular, itwill be seen that the rearportion of the control shaft I22 has mounted thereon a crank arm I30whose end portions have pivotally connected thereto drag links I32. Itwill be seen that as the control shaft I22 is rotated the crank arm I30is rotated to a horizontal position from its normal vertical positionand the drag links I32 are urged apart.

Referring now to Figure 3 in particular, it will be seen that the outerend of each of the drag links I32 is pivotally connected to an upper endof another crank arm I34. is pivotally connected intermediate its endsby pivot pin I36 to a frame member I38.

member I40 mounted on the drive shaft 36 and connected thereto by aspline connection. The clutch member I40 is provided with teeth I42 onthe outer face thereof and is adapted for longitudinal movement alongthe shaft 36. Carried by the driven gear 38 are complementary teeth I44with which the teeth I 42 may be engaged. It will be seen that when thedrag link I32 is moved towards the center of the stone picker that theclutch member I40 is moved outwardly in-td engagement with the teethI44. It will be understood that when the teeth I 42 and I44 aredisengaged, that the wheels 44 are free to rotate without driving eitherthe conveyor 30 or the rake 32.

Extending between and pivotally connected to the rear ends of the lowerframe members I8 of the outer frame sections I2 and I4 by pivot pins I46is a stone receptacle I48 in the form of an elongate generallyrectangular box. The stone receptacle I48 is provided with an open upperend and is disposed below the rear end of the conveyors 30. The stonereceptacle I48 in cludes a rear side I50 which is hingedly connected tothe adjacent ends thereof by a hinge construction I62. The rear side I66has projecting outwardly from one side edge thereof adjacent the bottomthereof a flat keeper member I54 with which is engaged a latch memberI56. The latch member I56 is urged downwardly by a spring 58 connectedthereto.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2 in particular; it will be seen that theleft side of the front part of the U-shaped tongue 24 is provided with apair of upstanding standards I60 which have extending between andconnected to the upper ends thereof a transverse horizontal bar I62.Pivotally connected to the bar I62 for movement in a vertical plane is afirst lever I64 and a second lever I66. It will be noted that the leverI66 differs from the lever I64 in that it is provided with a brakemechanism I68 engageable with a sector rack I10 rigidly secured to thetransverse bar I62. Connected to the levers I 64 and I66 and extendingrearwardly therefrom are drag rods I12 and I14, respectively.

Referring once again to Figure 4 in particular, it will be seen that thedrag rod I 12 is connected to one leg of a crank arm I16, the crank armI16 being pivotally connected at the rear of the frame I0. Extendingdownwardly from the other leg of the crank arm I16 is a drag link I18which is connected to one leg of a crank arm I pivotally mounted on itsassociated frame member I8 of the frame section I2. Connected to theother leg of the crank I 80 is a link I 82 which is in turn connected toone legof a crank The crank arm I34 The lower end of the crank arm I34is connected to a clutch arm I84. The crank arm I84 is pivotallyconnected at the extreme end of the frame member I 8 and is providedwith a transversely extending bar I86, the bar I86 being adapted toengage a rearwardly extending portion I88 of the latch I56 for movingthe same to an inoperative position. It will be noted that the bar I86is normally retained in an inoperative position by a spring I90connected to one leg of the crank arm I80. It will be seen that when thelever I64 is moved forwardly, the bar I86 is moved downwardly intoengagement with the rearwardly extending portion I88 and the front endof the latch I56 is moved upwardly whereby the rear side I50 ispermittedto swing to an open position.

The rear end of the drag rod I14 is connected to one leg of a crank armI92 which is also pivotally mounted at the upper rear of the frame I0.The other leg of the crank arm I90 has connected thereto a drag link I94whose lower end is connected to one end wall of the stone receptacle 48adjacent the forward edge thereof. It will be noted that when the lever566 is pulled forwardly the drag link I94 is moved upwardly with theresultant tipping of the stone receptacle I48 to dump the stonescontained therein out through the open rear side I50 Referring now toFigures 11 and 12 in particular, it will be seen that there isillustrated one of the tines 68 of the rake 32 The individual tine 88includes a shaft portion I96 which terminates in a square cross-sectionupper end I98 of a reduced size. The upper end I98 of the tine 68 passesthrough the transverse portion of the U-shaped front portion 66 and issecured in place by conventional fasteners including cotter pins. Thelower end of the shaft I95 is provided with a wide blade portion 200which extends transversely of the longitudinal axis of the stone pickerand is adapted to engage stones for moving the same forwardly.

Referring to Figure 2 in particular, it will be seen that there isillustrated a rear portion of a tractor, which is referred to in generalby the reference numeral 202. Mounted on the rear of the tractor 202 isa generally L-shaped support member 204 which has a horizontal portion206 connected at its lower end to a bracket 208 carried by the tractorframe. The L-shaped support member 204 also includes a vertical standard2I0 which is square in cross section and faced adjacent the upper endthereof by a rearwardly and upwardly extending diagonal brace 2I2connected to the tractor 202. Mounted on the upper end of the standard2I0 is a hoist structure, which is referred to in general by thereference numeral 2| 4. The hoist structure is operated by a crank 2I0and has a downwardly extending flexible member 2I8. Mounted on thestandard 2I0 for vertical movement is a draw bar 220 which has abifurcated rear portion 222. The forward end of the draw bar 220 isprovided with a square bore 224 therethrough through which passes thestandard 2I0. The draw bar 220 also includes a ring 226 projectingupwardly from the upper side thereof, the lower end of the flexiblemember 2I8 being secured thereto. The tongue member 26 of the frame I ofthe stone picker is positioned in the bifurcated rear portion 222 of thedraw bar 220 and is connected thereto for pivotal movement by a draw pin228. It will be understood that the draw pin 228 passes through alignedbores 230 in the draw bar 220 and the aperture 28 in the tongue member26.

Inasmuch as the front portion of the stone picker is supported directlyby the tow bar 220, it will be seen that the plate 58 and the runners 62may be adjusted with respect to the surface of the ground 64 by raisingor lowering the tow bar 220 through the use of the winch 2l4.

While the means for locking and tipping the stone receptacle I48 hasbeen described as being mounted along one side thereof and carried bythe outer frame section I2, it will be understood that if it is sodesired the pivot pins for the crank arms I16 and I92 may extendtransversely across the rear of the frame I0 and be connected to similartipping and unlatching structure mounted at the other end of the stonereceptable I 48. By providing such a structure at both ends of the stonereceptacle I48 no twisting action will result.

It will be understood that as the stone picker, which is the subject ofthis invention, is drawn forwardly along the ground 64 by the tractor202 the plate 58 digs into the ground and stones are moved upwardlythereon. The stones are then engaged by the tines 68 of the rakes 32 andmoved upwardly upon the forward end of the conveyors 30. The stones,which are of sufficient size to be supported by the bars 54 and 56 ofthe conveyors are then moved rearwardly and dumped into the stonereceptacle I48. When the stone receptacle I48 has been filled, thestones are dumped therefrom by utilizing the levers I64 and I66. It willbe understood that the levers I64 and I66, and the handle I24 foractuating the control shaft I22 are so positioned whereby they may bemanipulated by a driver of the tractor 202 while seated on the seatthereof.

The operation of this device will be understood from the foregoingdescription of the details thereof, taken in connection with the aboverecited objects and drawings. Further description would appear to beunnecessary.

Minor modifications of the device, varying in minor details from theembodiment of the device illustrated and described here, may be resortedto without departure from the spirit and scope of this invention, asdefined in the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A mechanical rake for use in a stone picker comprising a supportingframe, a fork including depending tines, a drag link rigidly secured tosaid fork and extending therefrom, said drag link having an end remotefrom said fork, drive means carried by said supporting frame secured tosaid drag link end for imparting oscillatory movement to said drag linkand said fork, a guide rigidly carried by said supporting frame adjacentan intermediate portion of said drag link, said drag link having aroller, said guide having a lower track and an overlying upper track,said roller sequentially engaging said lower track upon movement towardssaid drive means and engaging said upper track upon movement away fromsaid drive means whereby said fork is alternately raised and lowered inresponse to movement thereof relative to said drive means.

2. A mechanical rake for use in a stone picker comprising a supportingframe, a fork including depending tines, a drag link rigidly secured tosaid fork and extending therefrom, said drag link having an end remotefrom said fork, drive means carried by said supporting frame secured tosaid drag link end for imparting oscillatory movement to said drag linkand said fork, a guide rigidly carried by said supporting frame adjacentan intermediate portion of said drag link,

said drag link having a roller, said guide having a lower track and anoverlying upper track, said roller sequentially engaging said lowertrack upon movement towards said drive means and engaging said uppertrack upon movement away from said drive means whereby said fork isalternately raised and lowered in response to movement thereof relativeto said drive means, said upper track having a hinged end sectiondisposed remote from said fork, said end section normally engaging saidlower track as a continuation thereof to facilitate transfer of saidroller from said lower track to said upper track, said end section beingmovable upwardly relative to said lower track to permit movement of saidroller under said upper track.

3. A mechanical rake for use in a stone picker comprising a supportingframe, a fork including depending tines, a drag link rigidly secured tosaid fork and extending therefrom, said drag link having an end remotefrom said fork, drive means carried by said supporting frame secured tosaid drag link end for imparting oscillatory movement to said drag linkand said fork, a guide rigidly carried by said supporting frame adjacentan intermediate portion of said drag link, said drag link having aroller, said guide having a lower track and an overlying upper track,said roller sequentially engaging said lower track upon movement towardssaid drive means and engaging said upper track upon movement away fromsaid drive means whereby said fork is alternately raised and lowered inresponse to movement thereof relative to said drive means, said uppertrack having a hinged end section disposed remote from said fork, saidend section normally engaging said lower track as a continuation thereofto facilitate transfer of said roller from said lower track to saidupper track, said end section being movable upwardly relative to saidlower track to permit movement of said roller under said upper track,said upper track having an end adjacent said fork terminating abruptlyto facilitate falling said roller from said upper track onto said lowertrack and to effect a sudden lowering of said fork.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 946,273 Richards Jan. 11, 1910 965,115 Moore July 19, 19101,593,952 Ribbans July 27, 1926 2,553,240 Cintula May 15, 1951 2,598,223Chase May 2'7, 1952

